x Rival Brides x
by TheatreGal20
Summary: Ok so this story starts with Harry and Hermione coming to the Burrow for the first summer since the defeat of Voldermort.Ron and Harry feel it now time to tell Hermione and Ginny how they feel about each other. Marriage! Will it all work out?
1. x Proposals x

Chapter One 

Slight Proposals

"HERMIONE!" screamed Ginny as she rushed out of the backdoor and headed down the garden towards the gate to greet her. It was mid summer and Hermione and Harry had agreed to come to the Burrow for a while. Hermione smiled and rushed towards Ginny with a huge smile on her face. As they enveloped each other in a hug the gate opened again and Harry strolled in. Ginny saw him over Hermione's shoulder and let go of her and ran to Harry. She flung her arms around his neck and started to sob happy tears. She let go after a few seconds and smiled looking deeply into his eyes.

"Hello," she sighed with a deep breath and she held onto his arms. Harry laughed silently as he tried to get over her instant welcome. Hermione wasn't aware of their rekindled romance as she was gazing up at Ron's bedroom with a wide smile planted across her face. She saw him appear soon after and he opened the window and hung his head out to greet her.

"Hello stranger," he said faintly but loud enough for only Hermione too hear. She laughed excitingly and ran as fast as she could in the house and up a few stairs to his bedroom. Before she got the chance to knock, the door opened to Ron's nervous though happy face. Hermione unfortunately didn't get the message that he was pleased to see her so she ignored his timid expression and walked in to his tiny room.

"So…," Hermione shrugged as she waited for the big yet drastic reason why Ron was sulking. Ron shrugged too and turned his attentions to his window. Hermione hated this side of Ron. It was if he planned it for every time they met. Like he didn't want to see her.

"Ron? Aren't you pleased to see me?" she asked looking for a straight answer from him. Ron nodded weakly and sighed as he turned back to Hermione's concerned face.

"Yeah," he said with a slight sigh in his tired voice. Hermione looked down, his hands were trembling and he was moving them over the other as they shook. Then coming back to his face she could see tears forming but not falling. She let out a long sigh and walked up to him. She let her warm hand glide across his very cold and pale face. As she ran her fingers over to the side of his head she got a sense that he was worried and nervous about something. He chocked back a few tears and brought his hand up to her face and held onto it tightly. She smiled.

"Ron?" she whispered.

"Hermione…I'm sorry about all this…," Ron sighed again, still gripping her hand within his. Hermione shook her head with a sympathetic look on her face.

"What have you got to be sorry for?" she asked still with a very quiet voice as she held onto his other hand that was resting against his side.

"…You don't deserve to be here with me…with any of us," he whispered as he brought his head closer to hers. Hermione brought her finger up to his lips as she let go of his hand.

"Shh…don't speak, you have nothing to be ashamed of, you hear, nothing," she said now herself choking back the tears only hers were silently falling down her face. Ron wiped them away with his free hand. Hermione wanted a repeat of what had happened when they had first kissed and shared their love for one another. Both their heads manoeuvred around the others trying to keep their lips apart. They couldn't resist. Hermione lifted her head to try and be level with Ron's. In the end he bent down and clapped his lips over hers. Hermione let her hand out of Ron's grasp and held onto his neck and he did the same and let his had dropped to her side and up her back. The stood moments in each others embrace. After pulling their faces away, Hermione dropped her head onto his shoulder and they started to sway from side to side in each others company. After a few minutes, which seemed like years and years, Hermione finally spoke in a happy but teary way.

"Ron, I've missed you so much, since the battle and everything, the trauma we all went through together was unbearable. I only wanted you," she whispered. Ron scoffed a little as she brought her head back up to look into his tearing eyes.

"Is that why you're so cut up? You miss your brother don't you," she said trying to sound as sympathetic as she possibly could. Ron let a tiny tear fall down his face but Hermione stopped it quickly with her finger lightly running against his now very red and flushed cheek. Ron nodded. Hermione let him have his moment as she flung her arms around him. She too was crying at their loss. She never suspected this too happen and it had right in front of her. She felt awful, and she felt what the others were feeling about it.

"He loved you all Ron, don't let anyone tell you any different, ok no one…" she reassured him as she tugged at the back of his top. Ron sniffled as he gripped her back tightly.

"I know" he whispered in her ear as another tear fell down his cheeks. The afternoon flew past without them even noticing.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The sun was setting and the Weasley's clan were all gathering for dinner. Mrs Weasley had set the table along with Harry and Ginny who to no one else's surprise hadn't kept their eyes off of each other all day. George hadn't moved from his room all day. Infact no one had seen him. Harry was starting to wonder if he was even in the house with them, but the awful memory of his great loos came back to his mind at the thought of George's disappearance.

"Ginny dear will you go up and fetch Ron and Hermione for me, there's a good girl" Mrs Weasley's asked kindly but tearfully as the rest of the Weasley family were. Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed Harry hands as they slummed up the wooden staircase.

"Why does she still treat me like a child, I'm grown up now, ooh she does my head in!" Ginny whispered to Harry. Harry couldn't help but laugh at her complaint. Ginny sighed as they reached Ron's room. She knocked lightly on the door and waited for it to slowly open. It did. Hermione unlocked the door and wiped a few tears away from her face and smiled at the two.

"Hello again," Hermione crocked as she let the door open a little more to let Harry and Ginny come in. Ginny refused to come in as she could see that they were catching up on things.

"No, no…you come down when you're ready, we'll tell mum what's going on and you can come down when you feel like it" Ginny said kindly as she rubbed Harry's shoulder soothingly. Hermione nodded and closed the door behind them.

As Ginny and Harry clambered down to the next level of the Burrow they came to an abrupt holt infront of George's room. Harry shook his head at his crazy girlfriend's suggestion to tell him about dinner. Ginny ignored him and walked slowly up to the door.

"George, George?" Ginny whispered through the door as she placed her ear against it. It was silent, not the usual sound coming from _his_ room. The door opened slightly ad Ginny walked in leaving an understanding Harry stranded outside. To Ginny's surprise it was perfectly clean and tidy. The beds were made, all _their _clothes were neatly put back in the dresser and all the windows were open for fresh air. Being his sister, Ginny thought it best to speak to George face to face.

"Erm… dinners ready," she said slowly trying to keep George from flying off the handle. He hadn't been the same since the family lost Fred but who would?

"I'm not hungry" he moaned.

"C'mon don't kick me out again, we're all in this together, we need to stick together as a family not hiding away…it's not doing any of us any good, and you know it," Ginny said sternly as she crossed her arms and stood very still. George shrugged it all off with a sigh and stayed put in his position by the window looking out on the Burrows back yard.

"Come down whenever you're ready," Ginny gave up as she turned and headed towards the door. As she walked out onto the candlelit landing, Harry was waiting patiently for her on the small stool that stood on the crooked, wooden floor.

"No luck?" Harry asked as he stood in front of her. Ginny started to sob and as she did Harry embraced her in a loving and comforting hug. She sobbed loudly into his shoulder hoping that George would here her. Unfortunately he didn't, or rather he did he just wasn't in the mood for anymore tears except his own.

Harry rubbed her back soothingly, just as she did for him a few moments ago. Ginny let out a huge cry and buried her head further into him.

"Shh, shh…hey stop the tears," Harry said as he brought her head up with his hands and wiped her tears away softly.

"We've tried everything, Dad, Percy, Charlie and I but we can't seem to do anything to get Ron, George and mum out of this terrible loss and grieving, it's like they only want to cry and be miserable," Ginny sighed as she leant her forehead against Harry's.

"Well, tell me," Harry urged her. Ginny led Harry into her tiny room and sat him down to talk. After she had told him a very long and emotional story, Harry cradled her in his arms and kept her safe.

"GINNY!" Ginny and Harry both jumped in fright and headed back down the stairs together hand in hand. Mrs Weasley had everybody seated at the table (except George of course) and eating.

"Y…yes," Ginny said timidly as she swayed on the spot.

"I told you to fetch Hermione and Ronald, I didn't however tell you to talk to George, don't you ever disobey my rules again do you hear me!?" Mrs Weasley said sternly as she pointed her wand at the two who seemed to be quite frightened at her latest emotional blow.

"S…sorry mum, I just wondered if…," Ginny could see that her mother was in no mood for an explanation so she and Harry went across the kitchen to the end of the table to get out her way.

"Right…well eat up everybody, don't want to start the summer with a empty stomach do we now," Mrs Weasley said urging them to continue with their dinner.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Night had fallen and Hermione was too concerned about Ron to sleep. She took her wand and wondered across the hall way to Ron's tiny attic room. As she approached it, she saw the door wide open and an almost empty room. She walked up the steps that led up to the attic and walked in. Over in the corner was Harry sleeping peacefully as usual but there was no sign of Ron. She wondered if Harry knew of his whereabouts. She tip toed over to his bed trying not to make a single floorboard to creak. As she watched him sleep and breath silently she decided it best not to wake him. She put down the candle she was holding onto Harry's tiny dressing table and walked over to the wide open window to try and spot Ron out in the back yard. Out in the far distance of the yard she saw a moving figure slowly run up on the small hill at the back of the garden. She smiled with high hopes that it may be Ron and was soon galloping down the stairs and put into the yards to see him. As she approached the moonlit hill he spotted her in the distance and smiled.

"Why are you out here?" Ron asked as she sat beside him. Hermione could barley speak the moonlight was upon them both, the small stars in sky were twinkling making their eyes sparkle in the darkness. Hermione huddled up to him and he put an arm around her shoulder.

"I might ask you the same question," she said at last. Ron looked at her and smiled lightly.

"I…I come here to remember the good times we had together as a family, you know all of us, it'd be nice to do it again someday," Ron whispered. Hermione felt the hurt and loneliness in Ron's heart as he said those words.

"I can imagine what you must feel like right now, but you must move on, it's not going to get you very far," Hermione smiled sympathetically trying to sound kind. Ron nodded and agreed.

"Yeah…I know," he told her as he looked back at the night sky.

"If I could give you what you want I would," she sighed.

Ron's head shot up immediately at her comment. She wondered at first if she had upset him in some sort of way, but when he smiled acceptingly she sighed in relief.

"Hermione…I've never said this but, err… I really love you, more than you could possibly imagine and now that you say this I'm starting to get more confident in asking… no forget it it's nothing," Ron stopped and wiped his face with his hands. Hermione gasped in shock.

"What?" she asked eagerly wanting his to carry on. Ron shook his head as if to say 'Don't worry' and continued to star gaze.

"It'd just be nice to have a family of my own… our own" Ron said slowly. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing; she turned her position so that she was looking at him and urged him to keep talking. Ron smiled down at her and leant forward to kiss her. Hermione deepened the kiss and brought his head closer and tangled her fingers within his red hair. Pulling apart, they looked at each other and Ron traced his fingers over her lips in a loving gesture.

"I love you Hermione Granger, even though you are a nutter…but you're perfect," he whispered softly. He's ears flushed a scarlet shade of red and burned much Hermione's satisfaction.

"You think I'm perfect?" Hermione asked after all she had waited for him to say that for a while. Ron laughed and then his face turned a little stern but still smiled.

"I think you're mad…but you're perfect for me," he told her before kissing her one last time. Hermione stood up and slowly walked back inside.

"Hermione!" Ron called from the top of the hill as he waved his hands to her and rushed back down the grassy slope and down to her.

"Yes?" she asked looking very excited.

"What I was saying about…the family…I just want you to know…I meant every word…I love you enough to start a family and marry you Hermione," Ron said a little out of breath and gasping for air. Hermione looked shocked and nodded slowly before placing her hand up on his face again and stroking it softly.

"One day," she whispered and with that she headed up the steps and into the kitchen before rushing up the stairs to Ginny's room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo


	2. x Confessions x

Chapter Two

Confessions 

Morning came finally. Hermione's were straining to see through the bright orange sunlight that shone through Ginny's small window. She rolled over onto one side to see if Ginny had awoken in the bed next to hers. She was still fast asleep, tucked up in a bundle of blankets and her hair was flopped to one side of her head. Hermione smiled and made an effort to get up onto her two feet and grab her dressing gown that hung on her bed post. Walking steadily along the wooden floor and out onto the landing outside Ginny's tiny bedroom, Hermione started to walk down the stairs towards the kitchen. As she reached the bottom to her surprise she seemed to be the only one up. She quickly checked her watch to see what the time was. Nine thirty. Something wasn't right. Mrs Weasley always made sure that the whole house was up by eight o'clock every morning, but somehow it seemed she may have forgotten. Hermione started to panic she sighed and opened the large patio doors at the end of the kitchen to let the bright sun into the house. Straining her eyes again she looked out onto the huge orchard that stood in front of her. She looked over to the hill that she and Ron had shared feelings for each other the previous night and smiled. Marrying Ron maybe the best thing for her and his family. She started to wonder what it would be like to be a Weasley; she just hoped that her children would escape the ginger side on their family genes. Maybe that was a little selfish. As she snapped out of her thoughts she noticed someone in the distance. A tall and rather slim Weasley lurking around in the patch of field where they family used to play Quidditch together. Realising who it was she gathered up enough courage to walk up to him. Breathing more heavily that usual she cleared her throat to make him notice her. Without turning around and almost sensing her presence, George began to speak.

"Alright Granger," he sniffed.

Hermione felt awfully sorry for him. Loosing Fred might as well of finished him off for good.

"Ho…how are you feeling?" Hermione choked out as he turned to her.

His eyes were puffy and he looked as though he hadn't eaten in days. Hermione shook her head and sighed.

"Look at you…what's happened to you…?"

"Oh I dunno, maybe I lost my twin brother or something, my best friend, partner, team mate…"

"Ok, ok…I didn't mean it like that ok…I just think you've taken this in all the wrong way, it's not good for you staying cooped up in that bedroom of yours all the time George. Do you think Fred would have wanted you to act like this?" Hermione told him trying to make him realise what he was doing to himself.

George fell on a heap on the grass covering his head in his hands. Hermione sat beside him not saying a word. She tired to let him have his say, she hoped that he could express a thing or two to her. Nothing.

"George… this is a bit of a stupid question but I was wondering what you've been doing up in that room of yours, have you made any other products for the business or…"

"What business?" George scoffed at her daft question.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She looked guiltily at the floor and sighed feeling stupid and embarrassed. Not knowing what to say next she stood up and began to leave. But as she did she was stopped instantly by George's sarcastic yet cheerful voice.

"Hermione,"

She turned around with a huge smile planted around her face.

"Put the kettle on," George laughed. Hermione giggled and nodded as she returned to the kitchen and filled up the kettle with freezing cold water and put it on the stove. She quickly dashed over to the fridge and pulled out some bacon and eggs and threw them in the pan and started to cook breakfast for everyone. Feeling happier than ever about George's sudden change in attitude she felt that that it was time to bring this family back to life. That's what Fred would've done. She opened the cupboard she pulled out eight plates out and started to serve breakfast onto them. She placed the pan into the sink and looked at her pleasant family get together she had planned. She ran up stairs and knocked on everyone's doors.

"Ginny, Ginny, get up!" she whispered into Ginny's ear. The red head shot up in fright and gasped for breath.

"Hermione, what're you doing?" she asked with a stern tone in her voice flaring up at her. Hermione smiled and tugged on her arm.

"C'mon get out of bed dummy," Hermione giggled as she and Ginny made their way out onto the landing. Ginny followed her down into the kitchen, where surprisingly everyone had seated at the large table. Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, George, Harry, Ron and Percy. Ginny took a seat next to Harry and Hermione next to Ron.

"So, what was all this in aid of Miss Granger," Mrs Weasley asked with a slight look of sternness on her face and a slight look of happiness. Hermione took this question modestly.

"Oh it was nothing, it was mainly your son Mrs Weasley," Hermione smiled at George from across the table. This made Ron tense up a little but Harry whacked his leg from under the table to avoid any confrontation at this family get together that Hermione had so kindly prepared.

"Did you really son?" Mrs Weasley asked with a shocked tone in her voice.

George gave no sign of modesty which was what everyone had loved about the twins.

"Yeah I suppose…I only asked to put the kettle on,"

Everyone laughed and chuckled at his answer and continued to eat. Ron leant over at Hermione and held her hand.

"I've got something for you later, come up to my room about two o'clock," Ron winked at her and continued his breakfast. Hermione looked at him with a slight smile on her face. She wanted to know what he had planned but did as she was told and waited until two o'clock.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Four hours later two o'clock came and Hermione had made herself look presentable for Ron. She had left the current party that was going well out in the back yard and made her way up too Ron's room. She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a lilac and blue checked shirt over a plain white top, her hair was half up and half down and she had curled the bottom strands of hair and clipped the ponytail up at the back. On her feet she had a pair of black heels. She walked slowly over to his room and knocked on the door. He opened it and pulled her in forcefully. He pushed her onto Harry's already made bed and looked at her. She got over the shock of his welcome display and waited for what he had called her up for.

"Hermione, you know I love you," he started looked deep into her brown eyes. She looked into his and smiled without laughing at his excited behaviour.

"Yes," she sighed.

"Well now I've been thinking about what you were saying last night…"

"What _you_ were saying Ronald," Hermione reminded him quickly. Ron looked disappointed and she let him carry on by giving him a slight shrug on his shoulder.

"Well…I was thinking a lot last night about it and…," Without another word he pulled out a tiny silver ring with a diamond nesting into the middle of it and lifted it up to her face. Hermione could hardly breathe let alone speak. She hesitated before taking the ring from him hands. She examined it for a little while then graciously gave it back to him. Ron shook his head and began to out it back in his pocket. Hermione stopped his hand and pulled it back.

"Put it on my finger you goofball," Hermione whispered with a giggly voice as she placed her hand out to him extending her third finger out to him so he could slide the ring onto it. He smiled that goofy grin that Hermione especially liked as he held onto the hand he has just placed the ring onto and hugged her.

"Do you think this is too soon?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head and stroked his cheek which had once again turned red and hot.

"Ron, sweetie, you have absolutely no idea how long I've wanted you to do what you have just done. Do you really think after that, that I'm going to say no, it doesn't matter what time you propose to me, I'd never turn you down…ever," she informed him now with both hands on his flushed cheeks and leaning her head in to kiss him lightly.

Pulling apart from her after a few moments he hugged her again. They both cried happy tears into each others shoulders and stayed like that for hours.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Harry and Ginny were out in the garden lying under the sun on the grass. Harry had hold of Ginny's hand and Ginny's had hold of Harry's. Both were lying on a blanket looking up into the clear blue sky.

"Wonder where Hermione and Ron got off too?" Ginny asked feebly. Harry turned to her with a confused look on his face. He rolled over to face her and she did the same.

"Why do you say it like that?" he asked. Ginny shrugged. Harry clicked his fingers in front of her face to make her come back to planet earth.

"Hello?" he asked now waving his hands in front of her.

"Oh for goodness sake Harry, haven't you figured it out yet?" Ginny said as she raised her face and spoke to him as if he was stupid. Harry gave her an astonished look but let her continue.

"Ron is going to ask Hermione to marry him," Ginny whispered. At this point Harry spat out his drink in shock and surprise at what she had just told him.

"What?"

"Shh! No one should know ok, we're not even supposed to know Harry," Ginny said covering up his damp mouth with her hand. Harry nodded as she let go of him.

"Wait how do you know?" Harry asked curiously. Ginny gave him a, 'Are you really that stupid' sort of look and folded her arms.

"I saw them yesterday whilst getting ready for bed. They were on that little hill up there," Ginny pointed her index finger over at the hill that was in front of them in the distance. Harry strained his eyes to see through the sunlight and the reflections of his glasses and looked over to where she was pointing.

"Right," Harry urged her to continue as he looked back at her.

"They were walking back after a little while and I heard them talking about marriage and stuff," Ginny told him.

Harry smirked and tried not to laugh. He held his hand over his mouth to prevent this from happening. Ginny shrugged her shoulders and lay back on the blanket and closed her eyes.

"Ginny?" Harry said weakly as Ginny lay back down beside him and he put an arm underneath her shoulder and she moved over to lie in his embrace.

"Yes," she asked.

Harry thought for a moment and then had the courage to say it.

"Do you ever think about, you know…us, as a married couple," Harry whispered as he kissed her head. Though as he did she shot her head up with a look of shock in her eyes.

"Everyday, Harry," she confessed with her wide green eyes looking right into his. Harry smiled trying to meet her gaze.

"Oh," he said weakly again. Ginny unfortunately was expecting him to say a little more than, 'Oh'. She grabbed his hand; this made him eventually look back at her.

"What were you going to say?" Ginny urged him to answer.

Harry shook his head.

"Go on," she said now tugging at his arm.

"Ginny Weasley…" Harry was cut off by Hermione calling him in. He kissed Ginny quickly leaving her stranded on her own feeling devastated and alone.

Harry made it too Hermione at the back door who couldn't wait to force the ring and engagement into Harry's face.

"Look! We're getting married Harry, look," Hermione squealed as she flashed the ring into his face.

Harry laughed and took her hand and as she did before examined it.

"It's lovely Hermione, Ron's a lucky man," Harry sighed his heart skipping a few beats as he heard Ginny rushing into the kitchen.

"What's all the commotion about?" she asked giving a glowing look at Harry who turned his face away.

"We're getting married Ginny," Hermione squealed again as she placed her hand in front of Ginny's jealous face. Ron saw a single tear roll down his sister's face and moved over to her. Ginny shoved him away and ran up the stairs in temper. Ron ignoring the other ran up behind her.

"Ginny, Ginny talk to me, what was all that about?" Ron asked as he sat beside her. Ginny was sobbing hard into her hands. Ron pulled his little sister into him and she cried into his shirt.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Ron asked rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's just you and Hermione getting engaged, I would have thought that Harry would have plucked up enough courage to ask me…but I guess not," Ginny sighed after wiping her tears and sitting up from Ron's very damp shirt.

"Are you mad at me for proposing?" Ron asked with a guilty tone in his voice. Ginny smiled a little and shook her head.

"No of course not," she lied.

oOoOoOoOoOo

A few days later Hermione had nothing but flash her wedding plans and her gorgeous ring in front of Ginny. Ginny felt even more envious by the day she had had a problem with her from the day she announce the day of the wedding, Ginny's own birthday. Her eighteenth birthday. That was the day she wanted to get married. It wasn't supposed to be set for Hermione's wedding. It was supposed to be for her. She knew that her eighteenth wasn't going to be for at least another two years but Hermione simply no right what so ever to have arranged her wedding on that day. It was Ginny's special day not hers.

Ginny got up from the sofa and walked into the kitchen where Hermione was licking through bridal magazines.

Ginny placed her plate and mug in the sink and rolled her eyes behind Hermione's back. Turning around she faced Hermione who kept flicking the pages over and over again. What annoyed her most was the fact that she kept flicking to the same page.

"Do you think I should have a sleeves or not Ginny?" Hermione asked with a tone of excitement in her voice.

Ginny scoffed.

"I dunno do I, why you asking me?"

Hermione looked up at her and frowned in confusion.

"Something I've done to upset you Ginny?" she said

A long moment of silence fell over the two girls at Hermione's question. But then Hermione said the worst.

"Ginny you don't have to be jealous because I'm getting married and you're not, your time will come," Hermione sighed as she closed the book and sipped her tea. Ginny slammed the book she was currently holding on the table with a screech.

"What did you just say to me?" Ginny squealed. Hermione looked up in shock.

"You're jealous!" Hermione said with her voice slightly raised.

Ginny looked madder than ever. She was about to blow.

"You've got it all sussed haven't you, you know how much I've wanted to marry Harry, I love him more than anything in the world, I've told you so many times about how I feel about him, the least you could of done would have been to have a little sympathy and be nice to me about all this…"

"WELL AT LEAST RON LOVES ME, HARRY DOESN'T EVEN LIKE YOU THAT MUCH ANYWAY!" Hermione shouted. Ginny felt her heart sink. He did love, she knew he did. Ginny wasn't going to let her win this fight, not at all.

"LOVE? RON'S NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU HERMIONE, HE'S ONLY DOING IT BECAUSE HE FEELS SORRY FOR YOU," Ginny screamed.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE GINNY!" Hermione screeched.

"OH WELL BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT,"

"YOU KNOW WHAT GINNY, I HOPE YOU NEVER GET MARRIED, I HOPE YOU NEVER FIND YOUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER AND I HOPE HARRY SEES YOU'RE TURE COLOURS SOON, WHO'D WANT TO MARRY YOU?"

Ginny couldn't hold the anger in anymore. She raised her fist and thumped Hermione straight in the eye resulting Hermione fall on the floor.

"Yeah did I mention my twin brothers taught me how to fight as well as play Quidditch?" sneered into Hermione's red and bruised eye and ran up the stairs. Hermione laid there motionless though awake on the floor.

_(Authors note: Just to let you know Hermione and Ron are only planning the wedding so there will be a chapter where they will be old enough to actually get married so please don't leave a review stating that I've made the, get married to early because I am fully aware of their ages. Thank you._)


	3. x Jinx, Marry, Kiss x

Chapter Three

Jinx, Marry or Kiss?

Ginny sat alone that night. After the recent row and confrontation between herself and Hermione, she felt it best not to interfere with her brothers wedding plans. Instead she sat up in her bedroom and stared out the window, overlooking the great orchard that surrounded the Burrow.

No one had even bothered to come and see how she was or how she felt, instead they all fussed over poor, little Hermione. Ginny sighed and continued to stare out the window. Just as she was about to move back onto her bed she heard the iron gate creak from outside. She quickly rushed up to the window again and peered out through the condensed glass. She could clearly see a slim, medium sized blonde girl rushing into Harry's arms.

Of course Luna was also coming to stay for a while. Ginny had been very excited to see Luna before the others had arrived but had lost all memory about it after Ron's proposal to Hermione. Luna had finally let go of Harry and was now in the arms of Ron. Ginny felt a little jealous. It didn't seem right that they were all down there with her best friend and she was cooped up alone upstairs. She let out another sigh and returned to her bed and picked up a latest addition of the 'Quibbler' and began to read.

Not long afterwards there came a rather loud knock on her wooden door. Ginny jumped up almost instantly in shock and slowly got up to answer it. She brought her head up and looked out onto the tiny landing and saw her brother.

"What do you want?" she asked George.

George let out no sign of disappointment infact he was used to her slouchy teenage sort of behaviour. Ginny turned back into her room and sat back upon the bed and began to read again.

"We need to talk…what you doing?" George asked as Ginny sat back up and through her magazine across the room in temper. George had to dodge its flight as it crossed the tiny space. Ginny sat back down and folded her legs and arms in a sulky gesture and let him talk.

"I saw you thump 'Mione' today, what made you do that?"

Ginny gave him a sharp look as she looked up. He was looking very stern and almost angry with her. Ginny couldn't bring herself to say anything; she wanted him to continue talking. He soon did.

"Look, I know you're all upset about Ron tying the knot with Hermione but you gotta be a little happy for them at least," George told her as he took a seat next to his sister who was now breathing quite heavily and turning as red as their hair.

"So, you think I should be happy for someone who says things like, 'I wish you never live happily ever after and I hope you never get married to Harry,' hmm," Ginny told him. George's expression changed immediately.

"She said what?"

"You heard, now if you're asking me to say sorry and be happy for someone, who doesn't wish me to be happy, then I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," Ginny sighed. George laughed a little at her previous comment.

"What, this is no laughing matter George, this is…wait a minute, the sun is coming up, you're laughing," Ginny smiled as though she couldn't believe it and as if George had never laughed in his life.

"Why are you laughing?" Ginny asked curiously.

"It's just the way you said that just then, you reminded me of Fred that's all," George surprisingly was still smiling even when mentioning his late twin. Ginny liked this side of George, the jokey, happy side to him. After loosing Fred it was hard to even get him to speak let alone joke around and laugh and now he was cheering her up just by doing the one thing she loved her twin brothers for.

"Listen, Luna's arrived, I just thought you might want to go a see her, she's been asking for you since she arrived," George said still smiling. Ginny however didn't. She looked away and her face frowned all of a sudden.

"No, Hermione's down there, I haven't seen her since the fight and stuff, I don't want to be near her and cause another argument, anyway she'll be all over Luna with the wedding and that," Ginny sighed as she lay back on her bed and looked up at the ceiling.

George sighed and left the room. Ginny stayed lying down facing the ceiling and was left with her thoughts as the tears began the leak back down her face.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The following evening Hermione had slept on the couch in the Weasley's living room as a way to avoid Ginny. Her face was red and bruised from the recent thump Ginny had given her the previous day. She was sitting up with her wand lit and a book, she couldn't think about where the story was taking her, infact she wasn't really paying attention to it she just read the words that were printed on the page. After a while she heard footsteps coming slowly down the stairs. She shut the book sharply and raised her wand up to see the figure that was shadowed in the darkness. Suddenly the light switched on and there standing in the kitchen with her wand raised also was Ginny. Hermione gave her a stern look and lowered her wand back to her side.

"I forgot my book," Ginny said in a confident tone. Hermione shifted about out of the covers that she was nestled and picked up the book she was reading before and handed it too her.

"This one?" Hermione asked sweetly as she tried to sound reasonable and avoid another argument. Ginny nodded and held onto it tight.

"Did you read this?" Ginny asked as she saw that the book had a folded corner on one of the pages. Hermione looked guilty all of a sudden as she shifted again. Ginny rolled her eyes and sat in the chair next to the sofa.

"No worry's I've never really understood this story anyway," Ginny sighed as she looked at the front cover of the tattered old book. Hermione looked interested as she twisted around the face her. This way Ginny could see the damage she had made on Hermione's pale face as it became visible in the light of the fireplace.

"Look about yesterday…I'm really sorry, I didn't mean what I said about you and Harry," Hermione said looking awfully sorry. Ginny looked up and wiped a single tear away from her eye.

"You don't have to be sorry…I should be the one apologising, that must be really painful," Ginny said as she pointed her finger at Hermione's cheek. Hermione shook her head and sighed.

"No, not very painful now, just a big tingly from time to time," she said as she looked back at the book. Ginny realised what she was looking at and wiped yet another tear away from her eye.

"It…it was Fred's," she sighed emotionally as another uncontrollable tear rolled down her cheek. Hermione looked down uncomfortably and like Ginny started to cry.

"Oh…Fred," Hermione sobbed.

"Why are you crying?" Ginny sniffed as she let the tears fall wildly down her cheeks.

Hermione shook her head and wiped her face slowly so she didn't make her cheek burn with pain again.

"Oh, nothing, it's just being here and he not being with us it's… sad," Hermione sobbed again

Ginny began to wonder why she was so upset about her brother. Hermione had shown no sign of devastation like the family had. It was as if she had just realised he had passed away. Hermione smiled and sat up to face Ginny.

"Are…are you ok Hermione?" Ginny asked.

Hermione couldn't bring herself to tell Ginny the truth but as she felt a need to apologise to Ginny she began to speak.

"Ginny, I need to tell you something, but I want you to promise not to get mad at me _or _tell Ron," Hermione said sternly

Ginny frowned curiously but then nodded and let Hermione talk.

"Well…before Fred sadly…passed away, he and I…had a little relationship, I used to think we we're Romeo and Juliet, you know it was us against the rest of the world and we'd always talk about how we'd run away together as soon as I was old enough and ready and where we'd go and what we'd do…it was magic. Then…the worst happened…"

Ginny gasped.

"Don't tell me he legged it,"

Hermione giggled and shook her head.

"No…Ron found out, but it didn't matter how much Ron put me through that summer I never stopped thinking about Fred even if we were sleeping under the same roof," Hermione sighed. Ginny looked sympathetic and sighed too and let her go on.

"And before I knew it I was miles away from Fred, fighting death eaters and hunting hocruxes and next thing I know he's dying in the arms of his brothers…I was devastated," Hermione sobbed and let her head fall into her hands.

"Wait I don't get it, why did you kiss Ron before Fred died if you loved him that much?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head and wiped another tear way.

"Because I began to give up on Fred and the way Ron had been and how he'd been so kind to me after he left me and Harry, I wanted to give him what he wanted,"

"Then why the hell are you marrying Ron, if you love Fred?" Ginny asked after a few moments of silence.

Hermione shrugged.

"Comfort I suppose, because I don't know what else to do, I can't have the man I loved, and it's no good marrying George, because they're not the same person, not really and it doesn't matter how much I 'love' Ron, I always know somewhere in my heart Fred was always the one,"

The pair didn't speak. Both let out a huge sigh and sat in silence.

A few hours past and Hermione and Ginny had seen eye to eye at last and began to have little fun. They were playing a wizard game called, 'Jinx, Marry and Kiss', a game which most young witches played. Hermione telling Ginny about how she really felt about Fred was almost a weight off of her shoulders, she had only ever told Ginny and that's the way she liked it. Ginny surprisingly hadn't gotten mad at her or even rushed upstairs to tell Ron that she still loved Fred, she listened and understood her feelings.

"Ok, I've got another one, Draco, George or Percy?" Ginny laughed. Hermione scoffed and put down her tea.

"What sort of a choice is that? Ok I'd defiantly jinx Draco; I'd kiss George and marry Percy,"

Ginny gasped with another shriek of laughter.

"You'd rather marry Percy than George?"

"Yeah I think Percy would make a really sweet husband," Hermione giggled as she blushed.

Ginny shook her head and waited for Hermione ask her.

"Ok then, Neville, Seamus or Dean?" Hermione laughed.

Ginny spat out her tea in disgust at what she had to answer and cringed.

"Alright then… I'd jinx Dean…"

"Aww, why?" Hermione asked as she brought her hand up to her mouth in surprise.

"Oh I dunno, because he's a bit of a knob head,"

At this point Ginny and Hermione both burst out into a fit of giggles and laughter.

"And I would kiss Neville and marry Seamus," Ginny answered.

"Oh my gosh, you'd marry Seamus?"

"Yeah he's much fitter than Neville and like you said, he'd make a really sweet husband too,"

"But you took Neville to the ball," Hermione reminded her. Ginny smiled weakly and shrugged.

"That was a one off, all to make him shut up about it,"

"Ok, now ugly boys now…"

Hermione laughed as Ginny slapped a single hand around her head.

"Right, Crabbe, Goyle or Draco," Hermione asked with a serious but cracking up sort of look in her eye.

"Oh that's not fair, can't I jinx them all?"

Hermione shook her head as she sipped more tea.

"Oh ok then, I'd jinx Crabbe, because he's yuck, I'd kiss Goyle and defiantly marry Draco," Ginny said. Hermione gasped and laughed again.

"Oh Merlin, you'd actually marry Draco?"

"Well, it's better than the other two, I mean I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to kiss Goyle anyway but I had to pick someone, at least Draco's good looking,"

"But you'd be a Malfoy,"

"Oh so what, I think he's gorgeous even if he is a scum bag," Ginny giggled.

"Wow, ok your turn," Hermione said with a huge grin awaiting Ginny's next options.

"Ok, old guys now, oh what's that guy from the order's name called?" Ginny asked Hermione.

Hermione's face looked as if it had melted as she thought of the answer.

"Kingsley Shakleton," Hermione sighed in a dreamy sort of way.

"Kingsley, ok, Kingsley, Sirius or Lupin?" Ginny laughed. Hermione did the same thing as Ginny and sunk her head into her hands.

"Ok, I would defiantly, defiantly, defiantly kiss Kingsley Shakleton, and I would jinx Sirius and marry Lupin," Hermione laughed again.

"Really?" Ginny asked with her eyes widened.

"Yeah if they were all still alive, why not oh and if he wasn't married to Tonks," Hermione said as she screwed up her face as if she had just bitten into a sour lemon.

Ginny shook her head with a smile.

"Here talking about marriage, when you marry Ron, I suggest you ditch that curly effort you got going on, on you're head because it does nothing for you," Hermione's face dropped and looked a little hurt.

"You can hardly talk, when did you last fix your hair up, the day you started Hogwarts to make a good impression on Harry?" Hermione said as she flicked a piece of Ginny's hair away from her face.

Ginny frowned.

"Well at least I don't look like I haven't brushed my hair in about ten years,"

Hermione began to giggle and play with a single ringlet that was swaying around her face as they laughed.

"I have actually got hair brushes and hair products upstairs in my case,"

"Yeah right," Ginny sniggered. Hermione was trying her best to convince her that she did but Ginny didn't seem to show any sign believing her.

"I have," Hermione scoffed with a very serious look on her face.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Ginny said.

Hermione stood up and began to walk towards the stairs.

"Fine I will, come on," Hermione giggled as they walked up the stairs.

"Marry Lupin over Kingsley," Ginny laughed as they ran into her room in fits of giggles.

Hermione opened the door and walked over to her case.

"Right you want hair products, I will give you hair products," Hermione opened her case and pulled out a pair of hair straightners and a few hair brushes. The two burst into more giggles and laughter as Hermione pulled them out and gave them to Ginny.

"They are not yours they're Luna's," Ginny said as she pointed at them in disbelief. Hermione laughed again.

"They are, honestly, they are!" Hermione laughed again as her eyes widened again. Ginny started to examine the straightners with a curious look on her pale face. Hermione started to wonder what she was looking at and began to wonder if she even knew what they were.

"What are these, some kind of weapon?" Ginny asked as if Hermione had just handed her a shot gun.

"Don't you know what straightners are?" Hermione asked as if Ginny was a five year old girl. Ginny shook her head, shrugged and kept examining them with the same expression on her face.

"They make your hair straight, in the Muggle world that's what Muggle girls use to attract boys and look nice," Hermione told her as Ginny nodded though still looked at them as if they were a deadly weapon.

"Right so, you're going to use these for the wedding?" Ginny sighed as she handed them back to her.

"…Yeah, I suppose…" Hermione sighed too as she placed the straightners back in the case and zipped it up.

"Look Ginny, I… I don't think I can do this," Hermione confessed as she sat on the bed, but just as she did she shot back up again.

"Woh, what was that?" Hermione asked as she backed away from the bed and switched on the light. They hadn't that the room was occupied as they had forgotten to switch the light on when they came up and had only depended on the light from there wands.

"Switch that light off!"

"Ahh," Ginny and Hermione screamed as Luna rose up from the covers of Hermione's former camper bed and yawned. Hermione and Ginny's face's were classic. Their eyes were wide with shock and horror, their breathing was deep and sort of rushed and their body's were crushed up against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, what's wrong? Can't you sleep?" Luna asked in a dreamy tone as Hermione and Ginny calmed down and brought their heart rate back to normal.

"S...sorry Luna, we…we were just…"

Hermione and Ginny both looked at each other and began to laugh again, only this time they were physically rolling all over the floor in laughter. Their stomachs started to tense up where it hurt so much.

"What is so funny?" Luna asked. They didn't reply they just carried on.

"Right ok, well if you two aren't going to tell me why you're both in a fit of giggles then I suppose I'll just have to wait and find out for myself tomorrow when you're both sane enough to tell me, goodnight," Luna said as she made the light go out and rolled over to go back to sleep. Ginny and Hermione stood up and began to calm down.

"Right I'd better go back to sleep, I'll see you in the morning," Hermione giggled as she cleared her throat and made her way to the door.

"_Lumos_"

She tip toed out onto the landing before giving Ginny a hug and began to walk silently back down stairs to the living room.

"Oh and Hermione,"

"Yeah"

"Your secret's safe with me,"

Hermione smiled and headed towards the stairs. Just as she made it to the second floor landing someone popped up behind her making her jump and turn around startled.

"What secret?"

"George, what are you playing at, sneaking up on me like that, shouldn't you be in bed?" Hermione asked as she gave him a stern look. He gave her the same but sarcastically.

"Shouldn't you?" he reminded her as she frowned and glared at him for tricking her.

"Very funny, now leave," she ordered him as she pointed her finger up the stairs. George however shook his head and pointed his finger down towards the living room.

"Well, are you going down then or what?" he asked, letting her lead the way. Hermione frowned again and began to walk down the stairs.

"What's all this about?" she asked before getting back into her made up bed on the couch. George sat where Ginny had sat and waited for her talk again.

"What?" she asked demandingly trying not to meet his gaze.

"I heard you and Ginny earlier, good to see you made up with her, oh and I've got a bone to pick with you, why on earth did you say you'd rather marry Percy instead of me, I'm perfect for y…?" George stopped suddenly as she looked up horrified at what he was just about to say before he cut himself off.

"Wasn't kissing you enough?" Hermione asked.

George shrugged and sat back and watched her. She was still desperately trying to look the other way and not look back but she kept giving into temptation.

"What're you doing here George, haven't you heard the expression of a lady's privacy?" she asked this time looking at him curiously.

"I know Hermione," George told her.

Hermione's heart began to skip beats and she started to panic.

"I know about you and Fred,"

oOoOoOoOoOo

_*Authors Note: Ok, so please review it would be nice to have few more but please be nice as I try hard to make these chapters good. I will put more Harry and Ginny in and a bit more Ron because I understand this chapter was only a Hermione and Ginny one. The story will have a few twists and turns but I will say no more, just letting you all know a little bit about what's to come. Thanks.* _


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